Battle of Walker's Ford

Battle of Walker's Ford
Part of the American Civil War
Battle of Walker's Ford in the Knoxville Campaign
Date December 2, 1863 Location Walker's Ford, Clinch River 36°20′32″N 83°41′3″W / 36.34222°N 83.68417°W / 36.34222; -83.68417 Result Union tactical victory[1]
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Orlando B. Willcox Felix W. Graham	William T. Martin
Units involved
Left Wing, Army of the Ohio	Armstrong's Division Jones' Brigade
Strength
1,500	3,000
Casualties and losses
64	100

The Battle of Walker's Ford (December 2, 1863) saw three Confederate cavalry brigades led by Brigadier General William T. Martin attack a Union cavalry brigade under Colonel Felix W. Graham at Walker's Ford on the Clinch River during the Knoxville campaign of the American Civil War. After failing to trap Graham's brigade at Maynardville, Tennessee, Martin's cavalry pursued in the direction of Tazewell before encountering Graham's horsemen south of Walker's Ford in the morning. At first, Martin's cavalry pressed Graham's troopers back. However, Brigadier General Orlando B. Willcox arrived with a Union infantry brigade and repulsed the Confederate cavalry. Martin sent a cavalry brigade to envelop the Union force, but it was blocked by one of Graham's regiments at a nearby ford. Martin's Confederates soon withdrew toward Knoxville. Willcox's tentative probe failed to relieve Major General Ambrose Burnside's defenders in the Siege of Knoxville, but Major General William T. Sherman's much larger forces soon accomplished that task.